375th Anniversary Battle Of Bude

Sir Nicholas Slanning Hys Regiment of Foote will be camped on Bude Castle green on the Saturday and Sunday.

Depicting the Cornish Royalist forces prior to the advance out of the castle heading towards the village of Stratton.

The Troops with Drums and Colours will march out of the Castle on Saturday 11:00, over Nanny Moors Bridge.  At the time of the Civil Wars this was a natural fording point over the River Neet.  The night of the 14^th of May 1643 a Royalist Advanced party engaged with the Parliamentary forces here in a brief skirmish securing the crossing point for the Royalist advance the next day.

The march will continue up onto Summerleeze Downs to stage an encounter and battle against the Parliamentary forces.

This is to commemorate a battle in the Civil Wars, The Battle for Stamford Hill, Stratton.

The Civil Wars of the mid seventeenth century were a reflection of a profound, constitutional, religious and social conflict which was expressed in a struggle for control between King and Parliament.

On 15 May 1643 a Parliamentarian army of 5,600 men, commanded by the Earl of Stamford, advanced into Cornwall and camped upon the flat summit of Stamford Hill close to the town of Stratton.  The following day Sir Ralph Hopton, with a Royalist force barely 3,000 strong, oved to attack the formidable Parliamentary position.

The battle raged inconclusively for several hours until Parliamentarian resistance finally collapsed as a determined attack by converging Royalist columns drew near the summit of the hill.  With casualties of 300 killed and 1,700 taken prisoner, almost half of Stamford’s army had been destroyed and the gateway to Devon was open to the Royalists.  Hopton’s victory, gained by a force that was desperately short of food and ammunition, was a remarkable achievement.

The Living History Camp will be open to the public 11-16:00.  On both days.

It is part of a wider Heritage Weekend and there will be other exhibitors and stalls on the Castle Green.

The military camp will be inhabited by officers, soldiers and camp followers.

Throughout the day, on the hour, we will be introducing the pike, musket, artillery and drums/colours.  Saturday only for the march and battle.

There will be an opportunity for the public to “Have a Go” at these different arms, but not firing !!!